Swimming pool cleaner

ABSTRACT

A cylindrical body including inlet and outlet ends with the inlet end provided with structure for connection with the outlet end of a flexible water supply hose. The cylindrical body includes circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending rows of small diameter apertures and an end wall provided with a main central aperture and a plurality of secondary apertures spaced circumferentially about the central aperture. Also, the cylindrical body includes fluid flow restricting and turbulence producing structure registered with the inlet end of the main outlet aperture and a cylindrical pipe section having an outside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the cylindrical body is held captive within the latter and freely laterally shiftable therein for gravity falling to the lowest point of the inner periphery of the cylindrical body. Further, the opposite ends of the cylindrical body are provided with resilient circumferentially extending cushioning rings.

United States Patent Prof fit 51 Dec. 4, 1973 SWIMMING POOL CLEANER [76] Inventor: Lester M. Proffit, 14836 Polk St.,

Sylmar, Calif. 91342 22 Filed: May 17, 1972 211 Appl. No.: 254,185

Primary Examiner-M. Henson Wood, Jr. Assistant Examiner-John J. Love Attorney-Harvey B. Jacobson [57] ABSTRACT A cylindrical body including inlet and outlet ends with the inlet end provided with structure for connection with the outlet end of a flexible water supply hose. The cylindrical body includes circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending rows of small diameter apertures and an end wall provided with a main central aperture and a plurality of secondary apertures spaced circumferentially about the central aperture. Also, the cylindrical body includes fluid flow restricting and turbulence producing structure registered with the inlet end of the main outlet aperture and a cylindrical pipe section having an outside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the cylindrical body is held captive within the latter and freely laterally shiftable therein for gravity falling to the lowest point of the inner periphery of the cylindrical body. Further, the opposite ends of the cylindrical body are provided with resilient circumferentially extending cushioning rings.

11 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures SWIMMING POOL CLEANER The swimming pool cleaner of the instant invention has been primarily designed to provide a means whereby the pressure of water being returned into a swimming pool from the filter system thereof may be utilized to clean dirt from the bottom and side walls of a pool by water jetting action and the dirt removed from the bottom and side walls may be caused to remain in suspension, at least to a large extent, in the pool water in order that the dirt in suspension may be filtered from the water as water is pumped from the pool and through the filtering system of the pool before being again returned to the pool.

The pool cleaner has been designed for attachment to the discharge end of a flexible hose whose inlet end is connected to the discharge output for water returning into an associated swimming pool from the filter assembly thereof. The cleaner includes structural features whereby it will, by water jet action, propel itself about the pool adjacent the bottom thereof and direct jets of water over the bottom surfaces of the pool as well as the side surfaces of the pool. The jet action of the cleaner on the bottom and side surfaces of the pool serves to dislodge and place in suspension dirt clining to the inner wall and bottom surfaces of the pool. In addition, the water jet action creates sufficient turbulence whereby the water placed in suspension by the water jets directed downwardly against the pool bottom and toward the sides of the pool will be maintained in suspension, for the most part, so that as water is drawn from the pool through the filter system therefor the dirt cleaned from the bottom and side wall surfaces of the pool and placed in suspension will be filtered from the water passing through the filter assembly.

The main object of this invention is to provide a pool cleaner capable of using a supply of water under pressure to remove, by water jet'action, dirt clinging to the bottom and side wall surfaces of the pool.

Another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object is to provide a pool cleaner that will, by minor water jet action, sufficiently impart turbulence to the water adjacent the cleaner whereby the dirt placed in suspension will be caused to remain in suspension, for the most part, until the water flows slowly toward the inlet to the filter assembly of the pool.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a pool cleaner in accordance with the preceding objects constructed in a manner whereby it may also utilize a supply of water under pressure to automatically propel itself about the pool in a random manner while being carried by the outlet end of a flexible water supply hose.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a pool cleaner in accordance with the immediately preceding object and constructed in a manner whereby it will develop upward jets of water of greater megnitude than downwardly directed jets of water to thereby ensure that the cleaner, while moving in a random manner throughout the pool, will be maintained in close proximity to the bottom surfaces of the pool throughout a majority of the period of its operation.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a pool cleaner in accordance with the preceding objects which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and automatic in operation so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a conventional swimming pool with the swimming pool cleaner of the instant invention disposed within the pool on the discharge end of a flexible hose having its inlet end coupled to the outlet of water from the filter assembly of the pool into the latter;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged side elevational view of the swimming pool cleaner and the adjacent discharge end of the flexible hose to which the pool cleaner is secured;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the cleaner as seen from the left side of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating the manner in which the inlet end of the flexible hose is connected to the water outlet for discharging water from the filter assembly into the I pool;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the pool cleaner;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 66 of FIG. 5 and on somewhat of an enlarged scale;

FIG. 7 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the pool cleaner with the outlet end thereof having parts broken away and illustrated in vertical section and illustrating the manner in which a reducer sleeve may be threaded into the main propulsion jet aperture of the pool cleaner in order to increase the velocity of water being discharged from the main jet aperture;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 9-9 of FIG. 5 and illustrating the manner in which the opposite ends of a length of resilient tubing may be joined to form the resilient bumper rings carried by the opposite ends of the pool cleaner; and

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the fitting by which the inlet end of the hose is coupled to the outlet for water from the filter assembly of the pool.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates a conventional form of swimming pool including longitudinally extending opposite side walls 12 and 14 and opposite end walls 16 and 18. A bottom 20 extends between the lower marginal portions of the'walls l2, 14, 16 and 18 and the bottom 20 includes an outlet 22 by which water is pumped from the pool 10 into the associated filter assembly (not shown). Further, the end wall 16 includes an outlet pipe 24 from the associated filter assembly by which water passing through the filter assembly may be pumped back into the pool 10.

The preceding description may be considered as conventional in various types of swimming pools.

The pool cleaner of the instant invention is referred to in general by the reference numeral'26 and includes a cylindrical body 28 constructed of any suitable durable material such as plastic. The body 28 includes an inlet neck 30 on its inlet end opening into the interior of the body 28 and the outer surface of the inlet neck 30 includes axially spaced circumferentially extending ridges 32. The outlet end of the body 28 remote from the inlet neck 30 has a circular end wall 34 secured therein and the end wall 34 includes a large diameter centrally disposed bore 3 6 formed therethrough which is threaded as at 38. In addition, the end wall 34 includes smaller diameter circumferentially spaced bores 40.

The opposite ends of the body 28 include circumferentially extending grooves 42 formed in its outer surface and resilient cushioning rings 44 are seated in the grooves 42. Each of the rings 44 includes a length of flexible and resilient tubing 46 whose opposite ends are aligned and telescoped and secured over a short length of similar but smaller diameter tubing 48. In this manner, the opposite ends of the tube 46 are joined together. Further, the overlapping portions of the tube 46 and tubing 48 are provided with registered aligned small diameter bores 50 and 52 formed therein whereby air within the tube 46 may be expelled therefrom and displaced by water when the pool cleaner 26 is submerged.

The body 28 is provided with four equally circumferentially spaced longitudinal rows of axially spaced radial apertures 54 and the discharge end portion of the body 28 is provided with a pair of generally diametric but slightly radially offset crossed rods 56 which cross in front of and in registry with the bore 36. In addition, a rigid tubular member 58 is disposed within the body 28 between the crossed rods 56 and the inlet neck 30. The tubular member 58 is of slightly smaller outside diameter than the inside diameter of the body 28 and therefore may shift slightly laterally within the body 28. Of course, if the body 28 is horizontally disposed, the tubular member 58 falls by gravity to the lower portion of the interior of the body 28 and thereby serves to at least substantially block the lowermost apertures 54 when the latter are vertically disposed as shown in FIG. 7. Of course, when the body 28 is slightly rotated so that the apertures 54 are not formed through the lowest peripheral portions of the body 28, the tubular member 58 will at least partially block the lower apertures 54.

With attention now invited more specifically to FIGS. 4 and of the drawings there may be seen a tubular fitting referred to by the reference numeral 60 and which includes a tapered inlet end 62 for tight telescopic engagement in the outlet pipe 24, see FIG. 4, and a shouldered outlet end 64 over which the inlet end of a flexible hose 66 is secured by means of a clamping ring 68. The discharge end of the hose 66 is telescoped over the inlet neck 30 and secured in position thereon by means of a clamping ring 70.

In operation, and with reference to FIGS. 1 through 3 and 6 of the drawings, as water is being pumped back into the swimming pool 10 through the pipe 24, the water returning to the pool 10 is pumped through the hose 66 and into the inlet neck 30 of the pool cleaner 26. A majority of the water pumped into the tubular body 28 is discharged through the threaded bore 36 and the smaller diameter bores 40 formed through the end wall 34. These water jets tend to propel, by reaction, the pool cleaner 26 in a forward direction through the water within the pool in a random manner while the pool cleaner 26 is tethered on the outlet end of the hose 66.

The tubes 46 prevent any hard portions of the body 28 from contacting and marring the inner surfaces of the pool 10 and smaller jets of water are discharged through the apertures 54. Those water jets directed upwardly from the body 28 through the apertures 54 tend to maintain the body 28 in contact with the bottom 20 of the pool 10 and the jets of water discharged from the lower apertures 54 are at least partially throttled by the tubular member 58 which is free to fall to the lower peripheral portions of the body 28 even though the latter may rotate about its longitudinal axis. Thus, for the most part, the pool cleaner 26 travels over the bottom 20 of the pool 10. The jets of water discharged downwardly through the lower apertures 54 tend to sweep, by water jet action, the dirt from the bottom 20 and as the cleaner 26 moves along one of the walls of the pool 10 the jets of water directed laterally and upwardly tend to clean, by water jet action, dirt from the inner surfaces of the side walls of the pool 10.

In some instances, due to the pool cleaner 26 pushing the adjacent end of the hose 66 before it, the pool cleaner 26 will be elevated above the bottom 20 and may even move upwardly through the water in the pool 10 to the surface of the water. Should the pool cleaner 26 break the surface of the water with the inlet neck 30 inclined downwardly, the water jetting from the bores 36 and 40 ordinarily would tend to spray up into the air. However, the rods 56 serve to break up the water jetting through the bore 38 and the smaller jets of water discharged from the bores 40 also serve to break up the water jet being discharged from the bore 36.

If the pump associated with the filter assembly of the pool 10 does not have sufficient capacity as far as volume and water pressure is concerned, in order to increase the propulsion action of the water being jetted rearwardly through the bore 36 a reducer sleeve such as that illustrated in FIG. 8 of the drawings and referred to by the reference numeral 74 may be threaded into the bore 36. Of course, the reduction of the effective cross-sectional area of the bore 36 will increase the pressure of water within the body 28 and thus cause the water being discharged through the reducer sleeve 74 to be accelerated.

As hereinbefore set forth, even if the body 28 has a tendency to roll about its longitudinal axis, the tubular member 58 will be maintained in the lower portion of the body 28 so as to thereby substantially always allow the body 28 to discharge water jets upwardly of greater magnitude than the magnitude of the downwardly directed jets of water being discharged therefrom. In this manner, the pool cleaner 26 will be maintained, for the most part, on the bottom 20.

The lateral jets of water being discharged from the body 28 not only serve to remove, by water jet action, the dirt from the bottom and side walls of the pool 10 but also to sufficiently agitate the water within the pool so that the dirt removed from the bottom and side walls will be maintained in suspension until being filtered out by the filter assembly associated with the pool.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A water jet action pool cleaner for attachment to the discharge end of a flexible water supply hose disposed within a pool, said pool cleaner including a hollow body having generally oppositely opening inlet and outlet ports, said inlet port being adapted for connection with the outlet end of said hose, said body including discharge ports for discharging water from within said body outwardly in directions extending outwardly from a line extending between said ports, said body comprising a hollow elongated cylindrical member with said inlet and outlet ports opening generally outwardly of the opposite ends of said cylindrical body, said discharge ports comprising generally radial bores spaced circumferentially about and longitudinally along said body, a tubular member of smaller outside diameter than the inside diameter of said cylindrical body disposed within the latter for limited lateral shifting therein and falling by gravity to the lower inner peripheral portions of said cylindrical body in order to at least paritally restrict the lower radial bores formed in said body.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said body includes an end wall on its end remote from said inlet port, said outlet port comprising a threaded bore formed generally centrally through said end wall, and

a tubular reducer fitting threadedly engaged in said threaded bore.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said end wall includes a plurality of additional smaller diameter bores formed therethrough spaced circumferentially about said threaded bore.

4. The combination of claim 2 wherein said body includes elongated water flow disrupting means extending thereacross in registry with and closely adjacent the inlet end of said threaded bore.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said body includes an end wall on its end remote from said inlet port, said outlet port comprising a threaded bore formed generally centrally through said end wall, and a tubular reducer fitting threadedly engaged in said threaded bore.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said end wall includes a plurality of additional smaller diameter bores formed therethrough spaced circumferentially about said threaded bore.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said body includes elongated water flow disrupting means extending thereacross in registry with and closely adjacent the inlet end of said threaded bore.

8. The combination of claim 1 wherein said body comprises a substantially cylindrical body with said inlet and outlet ports opening into the opposite ends thereof, the opposite end portions of said cylindrical body including outer circumferentially extending grooves, and resilient ring members seated in said grooves and projecting radially outwardly of and circumferentially about the outer surface of said cylindrical body.

9. The combination of claim 1 wherein said body comprises a cylindrical body and said inlet and outlet ports open into the opposite ends of said body, said discharge ports comprising radial bores formed in said cylindrical body and arranged in circumferentially spaced rows of radial bores extending longitudinally of said body.

10. A pool cleaner for attachment to the discharge end of a flexible water supply hose disposed within a pool, said pool cleaner including an elongated hollow body defining a center axis and including opposite inlet and outlet end portions and a central portion disposed therebetween, said outlet end portion including water outlet means and said inlet end portion including water inlet means adapted for connection with the outlet end of said hose, said central portion of said body including discharge openings spaced thereaboutand longitudinally therealong for discharging water from within said central portion outwardly of the latter, and water flow throttling means disposed within said central portion andmovable in all transverse directions relative to said body, said water flow throttling means being positionable, by an imbalance of gravity forces acting thereon, to a position in a lower portion of said body to throttle the discharge of water from the lower discharge openings i in said central portion, whereby the aggregate thrust forces acting on said body as a result of water being discharged from said discharge openings will be in a downward direction to thus maintain said cleaner in position at least closely adjacent the bottom of the associated pool.

11. A water jet action pool cleaner for attachment to the discharge end of a flexible water supply hose disposed within a pool, said pool cleaner including an elongated hollow body having opposite end inlet and outlet ports, said inlet port being adapted for connection with the outlet end of said hose, said body including discharge ports spaced circumferentially thereabout and longitudinally therealong for discharging water from within said body outwardly of the latter, and water flow throttling means movably disposed within said body for shifting to the lower portion of said body and including portions thereof registrable with the lower discharge ports in said body, said water flow throttling means being shiftable to a position in alower portion of said body by an imbalance of gravity forces acting thereon and the registry of said portions of said water flow throttling means with the lower discharge ports in said body functioning to throttle the discharge of water from said lower discharge ports, whereby the aggregate thrust forces acting on said body as a result of water being discharged from said discharge ports will be in a downward direction to thus maintain said cleaner in position at least closely adjacent the bottom of the associated pool. 

1. A water jet action pool cleaner for attachment to the discharge end of a flexible water supply hose disposed within a pool, said pool cleaner including a hollow body having generally oppositely opening inlet and outlet ports, said inlet port being adapted for connection with the outlet end of said hose, said body including discharge ports for discharging water from within said body outwardly in directions extending outwardly from a line extending between said ports, said body comprising a hollow elongated cylindrical member with said inlet and outlet ports opening generally Outwardly of the opposite ends of said cylindrical body, said discharge ports comprising generally radial bores spaced circumferentially about and longitudinally along said body, a tubular member of smaller outside diameter than the inside diameter of said cylindrical body disposed within the latter for limited lateral shifting therein and falling by gravity to the lower inner peripheral portions of said cylindrical body in order to at least paritally restrict the lower radial bores formed in said body.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said body includes an end wall on its end remote from said inlet port, said outlet port comprising a threaded bore formed generally centrally through said end wall, and a tubular reducer fitting threadedly engaged in said threaded bore.
 3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said end wall includes a plurality of additional smaller diameter bores formed therethrough spaced circumferentially about said threaded bore.
 4. The combination of claim 2 wherein said body includes elongated water flow disrupting means extending thereacross in registry with and closely adjacent the inlet end of said threaded bore.
 5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said body includes an end wall on its end remote from said inlet port, said outlet port comprising a threaded bore formed generally centrally through said end wall, and a tubular reducer fitting threadedly engaged in said threaded bore.
 6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said end wall includes a plurality of additional smaller diameter bores formed therethrough spaced circumferentially about said threaded bore.
 7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said body includes elongated water flow disrupting means extending thereacross in registry with and closely adjacent the inlet end of said threaded bore.
 8. The combination of claim 1 wherein said body comprises a substantially cylindrical body with said inlet and outlet ports opening into the opposite ends thereof, the opposite end portions of said cylindrical body including outer circumferentially extending grooves, and resilient ring members seated in said grooves and projecting radially outwardly of and circumferentially about the outer surface of said cylindrical body.
 9. The combination of claim 1 wherein said body comprises a cylindrical body and said inlet and outlet ports open into the opposite ends of said body, said discharge ports comprising radial bores formed in said cylindrical body and arranged in circumferentially spaced rows of radial bores extending longitudinally of said body.
 10. A pool cleaner for attachment to the discharge end of a flexible water supply hose disposed within a pool, said pool cleaner including an elongated hollow body defining a center axis and including opposite inlet and outlet end portions and a central portion disposed therebetween, said outlet end portion including water outlet means and said inlet end portion including water inlet means adapted for connection with the outlet end of said hose, said central portion of said body including discharge openings spaced thereabout and longitudinally therealong for discharging water from within said central portion outwardly of the latter, and water flow throttling means disposed within said central portion and movable in all transverse directions relative to said body, said water flow throttling means being positionable, by an imbalance of gravity forces acting thereon, to a position in a lower portion of said body to throttle the discharge of water from the lower discharge openings in said central portion, whereby the aggregate thrust forces acting on said body as a result of water being discharged from said discharge openings will be in a downward direction to thus maintain said cleaner in position at least closely adjacent the bottom of the associated pool.
 11. A water jet action pool cleaner for attachment to the discharge end of a flexible water supply hose disposed within a pool, said pool cleaner including an elongated hollow body having opPosite end inlet and outlet ports, said inlet port being adapted for connection with the outlet end of said hose, said body including discharge ports spaced circumferentially thereabout and longitudinally therealong for discharging water from within said body outwardly of the latter, and water flow throttling means movably disposed within said body for shifting to the lower portion of said body and including portions thereof registrable with the lower discharge ports in said body, said water flow throttling means being shiftable to a position in a lower portion of said body by an imbalance of gravity forces acting thereon and the registry of said portions of said water flow throttling means with the lower discharge ports in said body functioning to throttle the discharge of water from said lower discharge ports, whereby the aggregate thrust forces acting on said body as a result of water being discharged from said discharge ports will be in a downward direction to thus maintain said cleaner in position at least closely adjacent the bottom of the associated pool. 